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Updated: Jan 2, 2026
Manual Construction of a Tissue Microarray using the Tape Method and a Handheld Microarrayer
Published on: June 10, 2022
An introduction of an easy-operating and economical technique for tissue microarray preparation
Yi-Jing Chen1, Chun-Mei Yang1, Jiang-Sheng Huang1
1Department of Pathology, Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China.
Aim:
Tissue microarray (TMA) is a powerful and effective tool for in situ tissue analysis. However, manual TMA construction methods showed varied qualities. This study aimed to raise a standardised TMA preparation technique that can be easily operated and is economical.
Methods:
A sampling needle was used to punch the tissue rods from the donor block and holes in the recipient block. To indicate the dots' positions and ensure vertical punching, a novel auxiliary device made using commercial three-dimensional printing technology was attached. The TMA block was made up of tissue rods and a recipient block.
Results:
A 77-rod (7×11) TMA block was constructed. The rows and columns were fixed in straight lines. There was no specimen loss during the process of embedding.
Conclusions:
An alternative method for the construction of TMA blocks that met the basic requirement of many laboratories and can be effortlessly performed was presented.
